The price for OCC declined by nearly 13% over the past month. Other fiber grades also fell.
The national average for corrugated containers (PS 11) fell again, from an average $32 per ton in May to the current $28-per-ton range. This compares with the $67 average one year ago and the peak of $180 two years ago. Resource Recycling this week wrote about this trend and the impact on municipal recycling programs.
Sorted residential papers (PS 56) continues to drop, now trading in the $14-per-ton range, compared with $16 per ton last month. This common grade was trading at $29 per ton this time last year, compared with a $79-per-ton range in June 2017.
Mixed paper (PS 54) continues to trade at a national average low of negative $2 per ton.
High grades are also lower, with sorted office paper (PS 37) now at $122 per ton, compared with $195 per ton in June 2018.
The national average price for baled steel cans continues to drop, from an average $165 per ton last month to the current $156-per-ton range. This compares with an average $196 per ton one year ago.
The national average price of post-consumer PET beverage bottles and jars remains constant at 15.42 cents per pound. Last month, the average trading price was 15.54 cents per pound. This time last year, PET was trading at an average of 17.11 cents per pound.
The price of post-consumer natural high-density polyethylene (HDPE) from curbside collection programs decreased slightly this past month. The national average price is now 20.72 cents per pound, compared with 20.84 cents this time last month. One year ago, the national average for this grade was 37.69 cents per pound. By comparison, highs of 52.69 cents per pound occurred in October 2014.
Meanwhile, the national average price of color HDPE dropped slightly over the past month, now trading at 12.91 cents per pound. Last month, the national average was 13.75 cents per pound. One year ago, this grade was trading at 14.25 cents per pound.
The national average price of commingled post-consumer materials remains low, trading at $44 per ton, compared to nearly $48 per ton one year ago.
The average price of post-consumer polypropylene is now 12.25 cents per pound, compared with 9.81 cents per pound this time last year.
The national average price of Grade A film is down 14% this past month, now trading in the range of 11 cents per pound, compared with 12.81 cents per pound last month. This grade traded at 11.72 cents per pound one year ago.
Grade B film remains constant at 4.25 cents per pound.
Grade C film is still trading at a nominal 1.38 cents per pound.
These prices are as reported on the Secondary Materials Pricing (SMP) Index. This pricing represents what is being paid for post-consumer recyclable materials in a sorted, baled format, picked up at most major recycling centers.
For a free trial to SMP’s Online Post-Consumer Pricing Index, visit the Recycling Markets website. You can also contact Christina Boulanger-Bosley at [email protected] or 330-956-8911.
More stories about markets
- Haulers: Easing commodity prices present headwind
- Paper prices drop again, most plastics stay flat
- Rising containerboard demand comes as OCC prices taper
